项庄舞剑 xiàng zhuāng wǔ jiàn

a show on the surface hides real aim

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. lit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 刘邦liú bāng (idiom, refers to plot to kill Liu Bang during Feast at Hongmen 鸿门宴hóng mén yàn in 206 BC)
  2. 2. fig. an elaborate deception hiding malicious intent

Characters

Character Meaning
项 xiàng HSK 5
item
庄 zhuāng HSK 6
variant of 莊zhuāng; grave or solemn; village
舞 wǔ HSK 2
to dance; to wield; to brandish
剑 jiàn HSK 6
double-edged sword; classifier for blows of a sword